.\" -*- nroff -*-
.de IQ
.  br
.  ns
.  IP "\\$1"
..
.TH pspp\-convert 1 "October 2013" "PSPP" "PSPP Manual"
.
.SH NAME
pspp\-convert \- convert SPSS system and portable files to other formats
.
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBpspp\-convert\fR [\fIoptions\fR] \fIinput\fR \fIoutput\fR
.br
\fBpspp\-convert \-\-help\fR | \fB\-h\fR
.br
\fBpspp\-convert \-\-version\fR | \fB\-v\fR
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
The \fBpspp\-convert\fR program reads \fIinput\fR, which may be an
SPSS system file, an SPSS/PC+ system file, or an SPSS portable file,
and writes it to \fIoutput\fR, performing format conversion as
necessary.
.PP
The format of \fIinput\fR is automatically detected, when possible.
The character encoding of old SPSS system files cannot always be
guessed correctly, and SPSS/PC+ system files do not include any
indication of their encoding.  Use \fB\-e \fIencoding\fR to specify
the encoding in this case.
.PP
By default, the intended format for \fIoutput\fR is inferred from its
extension:
.
.IP \fBcsv\fR
.IQ \fBtxt\fR
Comma-separated value.  Each value is formatted according to its
variable's print format.  The first line in the file contains variable
names.
.
.IP \fBsav\fR
.IQ \fBsys\fR
SPSS system file.
.
.IP \fBpor\fR
SPSS portable file.
.
.PP
Use \fB\-O \fIextension\fR to override the inferred format or to
specify the format for unrecognized extensions.
.
.PP
\fBpspp\-convert\fR can convert most input formats to most output
formats, with one exception: if the input file is an encrypted system
file, then the output file must also be an (unencrypted) system file.
.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.
.IP "\fB\-O format\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-output\-format=\fIformat\fR"
Specifies the desired output format.  \fIformat\fR must be one of the
extensions listed above, e.g. \fB\-O csv\fR requests comma-separated
value output.
.
.IP "\fB\-c \fImaxcases\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-cases=\fImaxcases\fR"
By default, all cases are copied from \fIinput\fR to \fIoutput\fR.
Specifying this option to limit the number of cases written to
\fIoutput\fR to \fImaxcases\fR.
.
.IP "\fB\-e \fIcharset\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-encoding=\fIcharset\fR"
Overrides the encoding in which character strings in \fIinput\fR are
interpreted.  This option is necessary because old SPSS system files
do not self-identify their encoding.
.
.IP "\fB\-p \fIpassword\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-password=\fIpassword\fR"
Specifies the password to use to decrypt an encrypted SPSS system file
\fIinput\fR.  If this option is not specified, \fBpspp\-convert\fR
prompts for the password.
.
.IP
On multiuser systems, this option may not be safe because other users
may be able to see the password in process listings.
.
.IP "\fB\-h\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-help\fR"
Prints a usage message on stdout and exits.
.
.IP "\fB\-v\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-version\fR"
Prints version information on stdout and exits.
.
.SH "AUTHORS"
Ben Pfaff.
.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.
.BR pspp (1),
.BR psppire (1).
